Starting to get organized for our move and I need to pick up some chains. Truck is running Nitto Trail Grapplers 295 70 17s. FJ manual says chains on rear only but I've been reading a few threads lately that talk about putting them all the way around. I've got minimal clearance up front next to the UCAs so I'm not sure how feasible it is to put them up front.

I have lived in CO for 20 years, two in the mountains, one in the foothills and drive regardless of conditions. With my 80 I volunteer for FEAT and have driven after 36 inch storms. Only once on my front wheel drive Subaru needed chains.

On the highway if its so bad that a 4WD SUV with "traction tires" (which the Nittos certainly are) would require chains by law they would sooner close the highway.

I'm not trying to talk you out of them and many guys consider them essential gear. I don't.

I have lived in CO for 20 years, two in the mountains, one in the foothills and drive regardless of conditions. With my 80 I volunteer for FEAT and have driven after 36 inch storms. Only once on my front wheel drive Subaru needed chains.

On the highway if its so bad that a 4WD SUV with "traction tires" (which the Nittos certainly are) would require chains by law they would sooner close the highway.

I'm not trying to talk you out of them and many guys consider them essential gear. I don't.

X2...Possibly off road but not likely on the roadways...Have lived in the mountains 40 miles from Denver 23 years now commuting to Denver most of them and have never been unable to make it. I do have a set I run off road sometimes.

Come see us when you get here. Meeting info on the home page. Good luck!

__________________Dave K,TLCA#20150,KFØDOG,'69 FJ40-"Toyolet",'92 FJ80 {Isuzu diesel conversion underway} ,2011 Replica M416 w/RTT,'98 Taco Xtracab 4X4,Project='72 FJ40,'05 Passat TDI-DD."It is the first responsibility of every citizen to question authority." "A republic, if you can keep it". Benjamin Franklin 1706-1790"The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money [to spend]." Margaret Thatcher 1925-2013

I got my truck set of four from tirechains.com for my original 235/75R15 on my old Ford Ranger around 1995 or 1996 I think. Since then I've modified them for 31x10.50 on the FJ40 and then my Hilux's 30x9.50, later 33x9.50 and now again for 30x9.50. I've used them probably a couple of dozen times over the years. The cross links are a little short for 33" tall and 10.50" wide tires, I'd have preferred them to come a little farther down the sidewalls, but they worked.

They do the job for me, snug up well (the cam tighteners are nice), fit well, are put together well. I have the bungie rubber tensioners but they aren't really required to snug the chains and I use them for insurance. I got standard twisted links, not the super aggressive spiked ones.

We have a pair of Thule CD-10 chains for the car that we've used a few times now. The tires on the car stink though, Pirelli P5, even in rain much less snow or ice. I really like those Thule chains, they are super easy to put on and remove. Even my wife can use them and doesn't mind. Art Hog witnessed how they worked and how quick it is to chain up even a Mk4 Jetta stuck in the middle of an icy highway.

Thanks for the input. If I can get by without them, I'd rather do that. When they are enforcing chains, do they just check if you have the M+S stamp on your sidewall and let you go?

Yeah, the chain law has some criteria depending on road conditions that talk about minimum equipment such as M+S tires, chains, 4x4, etc. But the practical application by CHP is for commercial trucks and big rigs and they do enforce chain restrictions for them. I've never personally hit a road closure that wasn't either open or closed for passenger vehicles.

I still carry and have used them on both the car and truck at various points because they were necessary. But those times have been off the interstates in all but a couple of times. Truth is with AT tread and 4WD, unless you're a backcountry skier (like me) trying to get to winter trailheads or specifically going snow wheeling, you probably will never need chains since they plow the crap out of the roads and spray them with mag chloride with a vengeance anymore.

If you're handy, and not in a hurry, pick up used chains at garage sales, swap meets, or Goodwill, and modify them to fit. I have 'made' (and fixed) many chains. I also carry 2 spares in case I lose one. If you go elk hunting during a snowy season, and you're miles back in, in muddy/snowy gunk, that's where you cannot afford to lose a chain and not have a spare. Spares are easily made by combining other chains you have scrounged over the years. 'Wheeling while fully chained up is a blast.

I agree with the other replies that most of the time, chains are 'ballast'. You can toss a chain under a spinning tire to gain some temporary traction, however.